www.CostaRicaTicas.com

U.S. citizens are prohibited from visiting Cuba unless they have a approval from the U.S. government. Cuban Americans are allowed to visit under very stringent rules.

Travel by U.S. citizens, who are not part of an approved group, is accomplished by using a third country as your departure point for Havana. Bahamas, Mexico and Costa Rica are all very close to Cuba.

I would assume if you need assistance the Swiss, who I believe represent the U.S., might be able to help but then you would face prosecution for entering Cuba without the proper permits when you returned to the U.S.

I am told the fine is up to $15,000.

_________________
Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

Ah the Italians have already made their mark. Someone already beat us to the over inflate the prices punch

I have done some research on Cuba, mostly on the other boards, and found that the general consensus was that Cuba is not worth the hassle. Is this someone wanting to protect their own interests? Below are some of the similar comments that I have read:


"Prostitution is illegal and there is perhaps nowhere in the world where this law is enforced more than in Cuba. Girls are all scared. You can't talk to them on the street. To know how to get things going in Cuba, you need to have studied Cuba and the pick-up techniques during many visits. Even then it's a tough challenge.If you speak good Spanish, you still have a chance of meeting good looking Cuban girls who are not worn out *****s. But don't expect to meet more than one or two in a week. If you don't speak good Spanish your only option is the clubs late at night where you can pick up pro hookers.

So get back to reality. Forget about Cuba unless you are interested in culture, salsa and rum. Then go visit Cuba and hope for an erotic adventure or two during your visit. If you want to screw every day with hot girls start researching Brazil, Argentina, Thailand, Philippines, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic."


As a Canadian I can go to Cuba anytime I want, with some very inexpensive flights. I would appreciate a Cuba veteran on CRT giving us the straight goods.

Thanks

Devo

_________________
The most dangerous adversaries are the ones that come with a smile instead of a sword

cafe cantante,casa de la music and chevrier,just to name a few.if you walk into any of these places you will hear "wha jou name? where jou from? where jou stay?"dozens of times.i love cuba and will return but last dec i tried cr and enjoyed the rafting and quadding,etc.these things arent in cuba,
im not claiming i know all about the place but in my experience(6 trips)finding action is no problem at all.there are no places like hlh or relax so daytime action is not as good,but at night any of the places i mentioned had tons of girls.
i was walking one time with my friends and our girls outside of a club one night and a cop did arrest a friends girl and take her away.i dont know where and i dont know why.the other girls said it was for prostitution but she was one of six that were with us.we would have paid him off but he didnt want to have anything to do with us.there were tons of girls at that venue and why they singled her out i can only speculate.you wont be able to take your girl eveywhere but they will know where they feel comfortable.

cuba is a great country with friendly people and gorgeous girls.yyou can smoke in the airport and everything is cheap.if you have the opportunity to go i would suggest it.
my 2 colones ymmv
pura vida

Could you provide 1 person who has been fined or prosecuted for going to Cuba. It's a lot of BS. I met a CRT guy that was questioned in Miami a few year's ago because he had cigars with him, he says they try to manipulate you into saying you've been there. He got a letter from the U.S. District Court mentioning he will have to appear in court but if he offers to pay a fine it will be dropped. He has not paid a fine or ever been to a court, you know why? There is no such court. I have to be very careful, I'm a Local Government Contractor in Tampa. This CRT member also mentioned take TACA from SJO they don't share there manifest with the U.S.

_________________
"You can only keep a secret between two people if the other one is dead." Ben Franklin

there's any number of jump off points into cuba. Getting there is not a problem, nor do the cubans try to stop americans from entering. Only the americans do that. There are threats of fines and such if you do go, but that is unlikely providing that you don't get your passport stamped, which generally speaking isn't required there. just ask.

As for daytime action, there's plenty. 5 minutes on a bench in parque central outside the hotel inglaterra will disabuse you of any notion that chicas are somehow hard to find. chicas on La Rampa are less plentiful in daytime, but there's still some around, as there are on the Malecon at the base of La Rampa. Most little beer bars will also have a variety of chicas who would be more than happy to make your acquaintance. The biggest problem in Havana is avoiding them, not finding them! lol.

I am not going to due the research for you. If you do not think people have been fined no problem. As they say "Ignorance is Bliss"

Having Cuban cigars on your person is a far cry from being charged with violating the restriction on spending money in Cuba. I believe the statute is trading with the enemy and courts that try those cases do exist.

As far as TACA is concerned as long as they need landing rights in the U.S. they are subject to pressure to reveal the names of those U.S. citizens who travel SJO/HAV on their fights. The only airline immune from that is Cubana.

Want to prove me wrong? Take a trip to Cuba and when you get back to Miami tell them you really enjoyed your Cuban vacation and offer him a cigar and a bottle of Havana Club. Be sure to tell them you know they are real because you bought them in Cuba. Let us know how that works out for you.

And if you really believe it to be a lot of BS, as you state, ask the friendly Cuban migracion officers to place an entry and departure stamp in your little blue U.S. passport which they normally do not do. Ever wonder why? That way there will be no question that you were there when they indite you.

_________________
Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

Taken out of context again like you do with every post I make or someone you have issues with. Come on show me 1 person who has been indited, your act like you know everything but when your put on the spot you just ignore the question or beat around the bush. I ask a few simple questions about Cuba, no I haven't been there but I have researched american travel to Cuba. From now on I'm calling you Fidel Drifter. NEXT!!!!!

_________________
"You can only keep a secret between two people if the other one is dead." Ben Franklin

Here is a start for you.

http://www.afrocubaweb.com/travelcuba.htm

Be sure to read this:



Sorry it does not provide specific names but it does give specific numbers.

You can call me anything you want the facts are the facts. N E X T ! ! !

_________________
Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

I'm impressed, I knew you could do it.

_________________
"You can only keep a secret between two people if the other one is dead." Ben Franklin

from i.d.s link, lots of it rang true and even some things i have witnessed make more sense now.
i do know americans who do visit on a semi regular basis but dont know if they are aware of the penalties.
cuba is fun but it seems there are lots of other places to go to avoid the hassle the govt. can give.hopefully one day it will open up like the original post suggests.i dont think it would have too much impact on c.r.but another option would good.

Lionking-
I, most certainly, do not want to jump into the fray with you and ID, but I had a teacher that frequented my establishment 10 years ago who made three trips to Cuba. As he regaled me with the stories of his trips, I became more and more jealous. He even brought me a bar coaster from Florditas(or something like that) where Hemingway drank. Anyway, to wrap this up, I didn't see him for a while, and when he did come back in he told me that the feds nailed him for each of the trips, fining him $9k per trip. Lot of $$ for a teacher's salary. He had been leaving from Haiti, where his son worked in the offshore gaming industry. His downfall was using his credit card, I suppose for the plane ticket. Of course, this was over 10 years ago, so it may not be relevant today

No problem and Thanks for your info. It seems that it does matter where your leaving from and what kind of money is used. I would pay cash for the airline ticket in CR and use Canadian money as advised earlier, if I ever get the balls to go. Maybe Oboma will open these gates of love soon. CubaDave would know some secrets since he has chica pictures here from Cuba. I may still go to Colombia first. CR just doesn't do it for me anymore.

_________________
"You can only keep a secret between two people if the other one is dead." Ben Franklin

US Customs is in Nassau, Bahamas. You Pre-Clear US Immigration/Customs in Nassau before boarding your flight back to the US.

Several years ago the Customs agents based in Nassau showed some intiative and starting watching the passengers deplaning from the inbound Air Cubana flight from Havana. They easily picked out the Americans returning from Havana.

Countless Americans returning from Havana have been busted by US Customs in Nassau.

Same method has been used in Toronto by US customs.

I'd like to know how they easily picked out the Americans just by watching in Toronto. Cuba is a very popular destination for Canadians, and aside from our moose antler hats we look just like Americans.